World War II has just ended and money is scarce. Anna needs a new coat and Mother has been promising to get one. But the stores don't have any coats in them yet. Since the war just ended, there aren't a whole lot of things in the stores to buy. This is a wonderful lesson in economics for elementary aged kids. What can Mother do if there are no coats to be had? Well, she has some things she can trade like Grandfather's gold watch and she and Anna can walk to a nearby farm and talk to the farmer about buying some wool from his sheep when he shears them next spring. The book is very respectful of our children's abilities to understand the step by step process of working through a problem and gives them insight into how this whole market system works. Really great.